Its styling is said to give a hint at where the next Altima, Maxima and Murano are going. These, most readers will note, are not cars really available in Europe. What’s more interesting is what lies beneath the skin, namely the interior from a not-too-distant future where cars drive themselves.

So there’s some supremely comfy seats, natural materials, a large, sweeping screen, and a less-than-round steering wheel. The latter looks primed and ready to fold away when you opt to let the car drive itself.

The car is a tangible example of the direction that Nissan’s design chief Shiro Nakamura has explained to us.

“The interior and exterior of cars are becoming very different,” he says. “I think the exterior will not change so much. The exterior is a way to show the taste of the brand, and to express the customer’s taste.

“But the interior will be very different. We’re going right back to the drawing board. The steering wheel will store when you’re in autonomous mode to make a very nice living room. The user interface is very different, with voice control, single big monitors, and not so many switches. It’s more simple, as simple as possible. That is the direction of the interior, definitely.”

So it is with the Vmotion 2.0, a car that is recognisably a Nissan saloon on the outside, but something new and simplified inside. Like it? Or do you want your self-driving car of the future to look as wacky as it feels?

Author: TopGear

TopGear is the world’s best-selling motoring magazine. The Malaysian edition holds similar status, as acknowledged by the industry.